5 Steps to Make a Great Impression During a Job Interview

This is the moment you’ve been waiting for. After an excruciating long job search, you are sitting right in front of the person who has the ability to change your career—and your future. But in your zest (i.e. nervousness) to please your potential boss, you knock over his water cup, shake sweaty hands with him, and stammer through most of your interview questions. This isn’t the way you envisioned being during a job interview. It’s no wonder that you didn’t hear back from that employer.

There are many ways you can win over even the stodgiest of hiring managers and land the job. Make a great impression during a job interview with these five steps.

1. Be on time.

It’s the first sign of how serious you are about the job interview. Are you on time for your interview, are you early for it, or do you saunter in sixteen minutes late? Whether you have a Skype interview for a telecommuting job or an in-person interview, make sure that you are not only on time for it, but early. If you’re going to do a video interview, ensure that your equipment is working and that your Internet connection is strong. And if you have to go to the company’s HQ, find out ahead of time how far away it is, and leave yourself a big cushion of time should you hit traffic, not be able to find parking, if your train runs late, or you simply can’t find the building. You’ll thank yourself later for those extra minutes.

2. Do your research.

If you thought that you could just show up at an interview and wing it, think again. Believe it or not, the hiring manager has done a lot of research on you before you even sit down in front of him. He knows what schools you’ve gone to, what companies you’ve worked for—he even knows about your spring break vacation photos to Punta Cana. That’s why you should definitely do the same. Before your interview, go online and find out as much as you can about your interviewer (from the trajectory of his career to how long he’s been working at the company you’re applying to). See which schools he went to and uncover any of his hobbies. That way, you’ll have instant icebreakers once you shake hands that go beyond idle chatter. You’ll make a great impression during a job interview if you know that your interviewer graduated from the same school as you or that you share a mutual love of scrapbooking.

3. Offer proof.

It’s not enough anymore to say that you multitask, or that you are a team player. These terms have lost their impact on hiring managers. Everyone multitasks today. So you’ll need to step outside of terms that are often tossed around during interviews and provide some serious proof of your strong job candidacy. If the position requires someone who thinks outside the box, showcase instances from previous work experiences that spotlight that. If you’re applying for a telecommuting job, highlight those soft skills that employers look for in remote candidates, such as the ability to work independently, problem-solve, self-manage, and your strong communication skills.

4. Know your place.

Sure, you applied for a specific job within the company, but that’s not enough of a reason for you to get the job. You’ll need to know the ins and outs of the company and why you are the perfect person for the position. The goal is to leave the interview with your prospective boss feeling without a shadow of a doubt that you are a fab fit for the job. Understand the company culture and how your previous successes will help you shine in the job.

5. Have a plan.

It’s hard to predict how the first few days and weeks of a new job might go. But that shouldn’t stop you from telling your hiring manager what your 30-day plan is should you get hired. Let him know that after you get settled into the job, your plan is to accomplish X goals by the end of your first month. That forward-thinking mentality not only shows confidence, but a super strong interest in the job that managers can appreciate. It will also spark a new conversation about how other employees have handled their first few months on the job, which can already put your potential employer in the mindset to offer you the position!

Just as there are many ways to botch it, there are many ways to make a great first impression during a job interview. No matter what position, industry, or field you’re interested in, these five tips can help ensure a smooth, dare we say, easy job interview that results in a bonafide job offer.